Blue Tang Acting funny - Aquarium Advice

titoav15 · 09-27-2009, 09:11 PM

Hey Guys,
I got a hippo tang the other day (about 2" long). He is doing well (i think and hope). A damsel was picking on hime earlier today so I had to take everything out of the tank of catch the bastard (damsel). The damsel left a mark on the tang, it does not seem bad or deep, just noticible. Later on at night I noticed hippo rubbing against a rocks and walls of the aquarium more than a few times (either side of him). I though that its ick or something but I dont think so, I checked his eyes and fins and they are clear. He swims fine, looks healthy, just rubbing here and there. I'm not sure whats up... I fed all the guys in the tank and they all ate including the blue tang. Any ideas what it can be?
Please help me out here,
Alex

**melosu58** · 09-27-2009, 09:16 PM

It could be ick but every time a tang scratches him self is not always ick. I`m concerned because Blue tangs (Hippo tangs) are IMO ick magnets and very suseptable to ick.Hopefully it`s not.

titoav15 · 09-27-2009, 09:43 PM

should I get a cleaner shrimp? any ideas on how to treat it?

**melosu58** · 09-27-2009, 09:54 PM

Marine Ich/Cryptocaryon irritans - A Discussion of this Parasite and the Treatment Options Available, Part I by Steven Pro - Reefkeeping.com

Marine Ich/Cryptocaryon irritans - A Discussion of this Parasite and the Treatment Options Available, Part II by Steven Pro - Reefkeeping.com

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure: A Quarantine Tank for Everything by Steven Pro - Reefkeeping.com

ATJ's Marine Aquarium Site - Reference - Hyposalinity Treatment

sub ceroh · 09-27-2009, 09:58 PM

I just got a hippo as well (3weeks ago). I got a cleaner shrimp and all seams to be better now. There are still white spots on the tang but is as healthy and active as can be. I was afraid to take it out and quarantine it due to the fact that tangs stress out to easy. I also have been feeding it green algae with garlic. I hope this helps some?

**austinsdad** · 09-28-2009, 11:11 AM

Get rid of the damsel(s)! Any new fish will likely get the same stress. Stress equals sickness.

Garlic only boosts the immune system Don't count on it to heal ick - or the cleaner shrimp.

titoav15 · 09-28-2009, 11:31 AM

thanks for all the replies, I its really helping me to deal with the issue! I was thinking of getting cleaner shrimp to help. I dont have a qt tank, so any ideas on how to treat him in the community tank?

**melosu58** · 09-28-2009, 11:36 AM

The cleaner shrimp will not solve the issue. They reproduce many more times than the cleaner can take them. As mentioned above garlic will not kill the ick also. Read those articles I posted above if you want to get rid of the ick.

Zer0 · 09-28-2009, 11:54 AM

No one asked this question... How big is your tank titoav15.

Also, if you don't have a QT tank, and you want to treat him.. you have no other alternative to GETTING a QT tank. Doing Hypo in the main tank, could kill other things in the tank as well. And dosing things like copper that would kill the ich parasite, would kill off your live rock, and any inverts you have in the tank. It really is not worth the hassle. Unless the rest of your tank, compared to your tang, is completely expendable, i would not even think about treating the ich ridden fish in your main tank.

And again i reiterate, how big is your tank.

fjmcm1947 · 09-28-2009, 11:55 AM

if you will read the first link that melosu58 put up for you, hyposalinity is the way to go my blue hippo and the rest of my fish have ich bad within 4 days in hypo and 4 days useing metronidazole and a 2 minute fresh water dip prior ich was cleared up totally but under the guidence of another man (Captain) in here we are keeping them in hypo and main tank fishless for 28 days to be rid of ich hopefully along time.